


When Fate Steps In

by halfmoonjisung



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Pining, stubborn human! renjun, undercover angel! jeno
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 22:21:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29036148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfmoonjisung/pseuds/halfmoonjisung
Summary: To become full-fledged guardians of fate, angels should accomplish one undercover mission in the human world to receive their wings.Lee Jeno's mission is pretty simple. All he has to do is make sure that Huang Renjun and Lee Donghyuck don't end up together, because according to fate, they're not meant to be.But when a stubborn Renjun hunts him down, figures out who he is, and demands that he fixes the mess he caused, Jeno thinks that this mission isn't easy after all.♡♡♡In which Jeno is an undercover angel tasked to carry out fate's orders, and Renjun is a stubborn human who refuses to let that happen.
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Jeno
Comments: 2
Kudos: 22
Collections: Love Dream 2020





	When Fate Steps In

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xies/gifts), [sanhascroissant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanhascroissant/gifts).



> **prompt:**
>
>> A reverse cupid valentines au, person A ruins couples, confessions, and etc! Person B catches them one day, and then chaos ensues. 
> 
> so i may or may not have... errr... expounded too much on the prompt :)
> 
> this is originally gonna be a 10k one shot and now it spiraled into a three-shot with 10k words per chapter... fun...  
> that being said, as of 02/09/2021, i think it is safe to say that i'll finish this next week :> i just really had to post the first chapter to meet the deadline T^T i promise i'll post the rest soon~

Not even the sunlight dancing on his skin can silence the pounding of Jeno’s chest.

At least, he looks composed. The guy beside him looks like he’s about to jump off the clouds any second. Honestly, Jeno can’t blame him. However, he’s not letting himself put up a nervous front.

The door to the headquarters opens and out exits Mark Lee, Jeno’s best friend. He’s holding onto a piece of golden paper, his fingers smoothing over the edges. Mark gives him what looks like a reassuring smile before speaking.

“You’re up next,” he tells Jeno.

Jeno nods and accepts the pat on his shoulder from Mark before he enters the headquarters.

He doesn’t really have much expectations for it, but it still blows him away nonetheless. The ceiling is open, showing the vast sky of Guleum where sunlight pours down on them. It looks like a regular office, but what makes it special is that everything inside feels like real glittering gold, and the angel by the desk is no exception.

“Good morning, Madame Eunbi,” Jeno greets.

Eunbi gives him a warm smile. “Good morning, have a seat.”

Jeno does as he’s told.

“This won’t take long,” Eunbi reassures him as she signs a paper on her desk. After a few seconds, she hands it to Jeno. 

Jeno looks at her for permission to read, and when Eunbi nods at him, he proceeds to do so.

> **Angelite Mission**
> 
> for: Lee Jeno
> 
> Make sure that Huang Renjun and Lee Donghyuck will not end up together.
> 
> _Start: February 1_

Jeno rereads it again before turning to Eunbi. “Uh— if I may just respectfully ask, don’t you think this is a bit vague?”

Eunbi shrugs. “It’s pretty straightforward, if you ask me. As you can see, you start on the first of February. All you have to do is make sure that no confession or whatsoever will happen between them during Valentine’s period.”

“Oh…” Jeno nods. “That makes sense.”

“Great!” Eunbi beams, taking the paper again from him. She pulls a gold envelope from her desk, the same one that Mark was holding a while ago, and places Jeno’s mission card inside. She also puts in another paper which seems to hold the departure details. After sealing the envelope, she hands it to Jeno. “Here you go. Please tell Mr. Choi that he’s up next.”

Jeno thanks her and makes his way outside. He briefly calls the trembling guy to go in the room before finally walking down the hallway. There, he sees Mark leaning on one of the pillars, waiting for him.

“So,” Mark immediately greets. “What’s your mission?”

Jeno looks around warily. “Are we allowed to share it with others?”

“Why not? We’ll eventually find out during departure,” Mark reasons out.

That convinces Jeno. He hands his envelope to Mark who quickly takes it and pulls out his mission card. An amused look crosses his face. “You’re going to be sent to the human world earlier than me.”

“Really?”

“Really,” Mark is now pulling his own mission card. “Although, our missions seem to be connected. Check this out.”

Jeno squints to read.

> **Angelite Mission**
> 
> for: Mark Lee
> 
> Make sure that Lee Donghyuck and Na Jaemin will meet each other and start their romance.
> 
> _Start: March 1_

“Wow,” Jeno says. “So basically, I’m gonna have to make sure that this Donghyuck will not end up with Renjun, so he can meet Jaemin?”

Mark nods. “Yeah, seems like it. Poor Renjun guy, whoever he is.”

“Can’t help it, it’s fate’s orders,” Jeno shrugs. He then motions for them to start walking. “Come on, I still have to go to the University.”

  
  


After graduating from the Academy, usually at the age of twenty, angels are sent to the human world to accomplish one mission so that they may receive their wings and become a full-fledged guardian of fate.

From what Jeno has heard from the successful ones in the University, the missions are pretty easy to accomplish. The longest someone will take to complete it is most likely twenty days, which they guarantee doesn’t happen often. However, Jeno’s reassurance doesn’t really come from them. He mostly relies on what his brother has to say.

Doyoung completed his mission around five years ago and is now an incoming graduate of the University. As orphans of the Nephilim War, Doyoung and Jeno only have each other. Jeno never really knew their parents that much; he was only five when they passed. For the rest of his life, Doyoung raised him. Jeno trusts him more than anyone.

That’s why when Jeno hands his mission card to Doyoung, he feels great relief when Doyoung smiles and tells him, “That’s a piece of cake.”

He’s unable to stop himself from smiling. “Really?”

“Really,” Doyoung says. “You’re lucky because your mission takes place in February. That’s literally the month of love. You have a lot of stuff to manipulate.”

Jeno remembers the mission Doyoung got. It was about making sure that one certain couple will adopt a certain baby. Jeno doesn’t really know all the details, but he can recall Doyoung even going through a human job application just so the mission can be accomplished.

“I guess,” Jeno says, his eyes trailing to the carefully folded wings behind his brother’s back. They’re the palest shade of blue Jeno has ever seen in his life. Jeno knows that a full-fledged angel can call his wings out at will, but it still makes him wonder how one can always carry the wings around, and in return, how the wings can carry them around. Angels have been given enhanced skills such as speed, agility and strength, so Jeno knows those must come in play. But then again, it still makes him wonder.

He’s currently at the visitor’s lounge of the University, which is situated at one of the sturdy clouds in Guleum. The University itself is floating, which is another reminder that you need wings in order to attend there. It’s why Doyoung has his wings out at the moment. When he’s with Jeno, he always resorts to walking, not really calling his wings out unless necessary. But when he does, Jeno always stares at them.

He stares at them not because he wants them, but because they still make him curious. Not only do wings allow you to fly, but they also allow you access to all the angelic abilities at any given time. For young angels like Jeno who have yet to get their wings, their access to their angelic abilities are limited to the amount of angelic mist they’re bringing.

Doyoung notices him staring and quietly tucks in his wings. Just like that, they disappear. Jeno starts to wonder where they go when that happens, but he figures life has more important matters than worrying about pale blue feathers. 

“You’ll get yours soon,” Doyoung reassures him. “I think you’ll get a pale blue too, don’t you think? Dad’s was pale blue, that’s why mine’s like this. Although, you might get mom’s. Do you remember the color of her wings?”

Jeno likes it when Doyoung asks him questions like these. Usually, people would always refrain from talking about their parents with them, but the thing is, Jeno wants to talk about them. He wants to know more about them.

“Hmmm…” Jeno contemplates. “I remember gold?”

Doyoung smiles at him. “Yeah, gold. The rarest color. Very recessive. Who knows, maybe you got it.”

Jeno grins. “Guess I’ll have to accomplish my mission to find out.”

Doyoung swings his arm around Jeno and starts to lead him to the visitor’s café. Mark, who’s been respectfully waiting for them, waves from one of the tables and motions them to sit there.

“Your treat,” Jeno immediately tells Doyoung.

Doyoung laughs and doesn’t protest.

When Jeno tells Mark that Doyoung is paying, Mark immediately goes on a full speech on why Doyoung is the best angel in Guleum and why Jeno is the luckiest to have a brother like him.

While Mark tells Doyoung all about his mission, Jeno glances at the open area around them. There are lots of clouds and mists and shades of gold and glitter, courtesy of the warm sunlight. Guleum never fails to look breathtaking, and Jeno feels something surge in his chest. He looks up, and he sees the vast wonders of the University above him, and that's when he realizes that deep down, he wants to fly and soar as high as he can one day.

One day, he wants to be one with the gold.

Apparently, Jeno and one other angel he never really talked to when he was at the academy are the only ones who are going to the human world at the first of February. When they reached the waiting lounge of Angel’s Landing—the space in between realms—they only greeted each other politely and never talked again.

Thankfully, the archangel assigned to accompany them in their departure arrived before another ten minutes of awkward silence could take over. Jeno and the other angel rode on the transport cloud that the archangel brought before they floated to the main headquarters. The archangel talked to a few of the staff, and after mission card verifications and health check ups, they’re finally floating near one of the gates.

It’s not Jeno’s first time to go through Angel’s Landing. Mark once took him to his hometown, K’os, which is an even bigger angelic realm than Guleum. He also went through Angel’s Landing when he and Doyoung visited a family friend of theirs in Yún, another angelic realm. However, it _is_ Jeno’s first time to go through Angel’s Landing in order to be transported to the human world.

“Don’t worry too much,” the archangel chaperoning them said. “It’ll be quick. It’s almost night time in Cheonguk, South Korea, so we’ll be there in no time.”

He hands each of them a small greyish bottle of mist. _Invisibility,_ Jeno thinks.

Jeno grabs his flask and lets the archangel pour some mist on his before drinking it. He sees his companion do the same.

“Oh,” the archangel laughs to himself. “Where are my manners? I’m Byungchan, by the way. Though, we won’t be seeing much of each other so you don’t really have to know that. Anyway, shall we?”

Byungchan lets his wings spread. Jeno notes that they’re a faint green in color. He urges his transport cloud to move forward once Byungchan steps into the gate. He closes his eyes and plunges into the Landing.

He feels his entire body being sucked into some sort of portal. Eventually, when he feels his body being suspended in some space, he opens them again. 

They’re suspended in gold. The brightest gold Jeno has ever seen. Landing is like a museum; there are different portraits floating along them which symbolize gates to realms. Jeno quickly scans each one of them, looking for South Korea.

“Here,” they here Byungchan call who’s descending. Jeno and his fellow angel curiously follow.

Byungchan keeps navigating himself downwards, which makes Jeno concerned for a little bit. As far as he knows, there’s no ground in Angel’s Landing. The only way in and out are through the paintings.

He doesn’t have a clear description as to how it happens. One minute he reaches the star where Byungchan is waiting for them, and then in the next one, his entire body is lurching forward for what seemed like ten seconds and then he’s floating again.

Only this time, he no longer feels like he’s in a place that makes him suspended.

This time, his transport cloud is carrying him.

And directly below him, Jeno can see it—lights, laughter, and human life.

Byungchan smiles at them and starts to let his wings take over, gliding through the night sky as they get closer and closer to Cheonguk. Jeno steers his cloud to follow Byungchan, excitement rushing through his pulse. Sure, they’ve studied about humans in all of his years in the Academy, but it’s still different when you get to experience living with them first hand.

The invisibility mist still works its wonders as they finally descend to the highways, just a few feet above the speeding vehicles and the running humans. Jeno involuntarily smiles at the sight.

Not long after, Byungchan lands in front of an apartment with a sign that says _GL-023 Boarding House._ Jeno and his companion step out of their clouds, following Byungchan to the door.

A guy around Doyoung’s age opens the door, smiling as he sees Byungchan. “Newbies?”

“Yeah,” Byungchan says, gesturing towards them. “This is Jeno, the one assigned for Cheonguk University, and this is Jungmo, the one assigned for the Starship Bookstore.”

Jeno feels embarrassed to only find out about his companion’s name just now. When he turns to look at Jungmo, he sees the guy feeling the same and that calms him down.

The guy nods. “Cool. We have four more spaces here, currently. Their files were sent in earlier today as well. They’ll be fine.”

“Perfect!” Byungchan beams before turning to Jeno and Jungmo. “This is Sicheng, by the way. He’s an archangel too, although I believe he’ll be promoted to a dominion angel soon.”

“Shut it,” Sicheng says, but Jeno can see him blushing. “Anyway, I’m in charge of guarding all missionary angels in this boarding house, as well as reporting your progress.”

“Well, I better get going,” Byungchan smiles at them. “Everything you need will be with Sicheng. Take care and good luck with your missions, see you back at Guleum!”

And with that, he flies away into the night, the two transport clouds tailing him.

Sicheng sighs. “Alright, it’s almost midnight. Come in.”

The interior of the boarding house is simple. There’s a common room that occupies half of the space, and then a little bit further, you can see a wide dining room and kitchen. There’s also another door labeled as _Sicheng’s Office,_ which, Jeno assumes, leads to such.

Beside Sicheng’s office, he sees a staircase which causes him to look upward. He sees doors all over the second and third floors. On one of them, a guy his age is hanging around and reading a novel.

“Your rooms,” Sicheng nods towards them. “Cloud Service delivered your luggages earlier. It’s how I got your files. Which one of you is Jungmo again? You? Okay, you get Room 37, third floor. Jeno, you get Room 23., second floor. You’re allowed bottles of angelic mist of any kind but I can only give you a maximum of five each time _and_ I need you to log them with me and indicate their purpose. There are two bathrooms per floor, one on each end. Your human phones are there on your bed. Please take care of it, because the next occupant of your room will use it. As for food… we only serve breakfast, sorry. Occasional dinner once or twice a week but that’s because I’m lonely.”

Jeno laughs. “Okay, we’ll be there for dinner night.”

Sicheng beams at him. “That’s nice to hear. Well, if you no longer have questions… I suppose you guys would like to rest now?”

None of them opposed. Jeno could tell Sicheng wanted to head to bed, so they bid their good nights and went to their respective rooms.

As Jeno closes the door behind and scans the mundane room before him, despite his exhausted body, his heart has never felt more excited.

Here’s what Jeno knows about Lee Donghyuck and Huang Renjun so far:

First, they are both taking their second year in college. Donghyuck is taking Medical Technology and Renjun is taking Architecture. Jeno, who’s not interested in both but wouldn’t want to memorize tons of medical terms, resorts to going undercover as an architecture student.

Second, they’ve been friends since high school. At least, that’s what the Facebook photos let on. Jeno still isn’t sure if they’re best friends the way he and Mark are or they’re just in the same group, as he can see a few other people frequently appear in their pictures.

Third, based on some good tweet analysis and intuition, it’s Renjun who’s confirmed to be having a big crush on Donghyuck. Jeno still can’t tell if the feeling is mutual, but at least he now knows where to start.

He’s going to accomplish his mission through Renjun because the guy seems to be the more attached one.

That’s how Jeno ended up in the university registrar, waiting for his new schedule as a temporary transfer in Architecture.

“Here,” the kind lady by the counter says. “Do you need some help? I can call on one of the people passing by for you.”

Jeno shakes his head. “No need.”

Since they have a lot of subject series on human studies back in the Academy, Jeno isn’t really having a hard time adjusting. Although, mastering the phone is quite the work because Jeno was absent for two weeks due to a sprained leg when they had human mobile phones as their lesson. He’s also getting used to seeing angels everywhere—yes, even winged ones. Occasionally, he’s going to see an archangel fluttering nearby and then he’ll momentarily get concerned because the human might see, but then he remembers that winged angels can be invisible to humans at will. Jeno, well, isn’t human, so that’s why he’s probably seeing them while they carry out their jobs.

Cheonguk University is large. Because of that, no one really has a full grasp on how its entire admission system works. That must be why no one questioned Jeno when he entered his supposed classes and told them that he’s a temporary transfer. Although, he supposes it wouldn’t matter, anyway, because humans tend to forget their memories of an angel once the angel flies back to their realm.

He sees Renjun in his third and fifth classes. The guy isn’t closed off, at least. Renjun is quite the social butterfly so it wouldn’t be hard talking to him. He even smiled at Jeno twice today, when Jeno introduced himself to both of their classes.

Jeno takes his phone and sees the date. _February 2._

He glances to where Renjun is seated, duly taking notes, and then he pulls out his own. While the entire class (or so the professor thinks) are jotting down whatever he’s droning, Jeno, on the other hand, is already noting everything he can about Renjun, as well as potential game plans.

He’s going to have to start soon if he wants to fly in golden colors.

“One bottle of memory mist, five minute dosage,” Sicheng says as he hands the thing to Jeno. “Already making progress?”

Jeno takes the bottle and logs down his name and purpose of getting the mist. “Yeah, it’s pretty easy in general. But I still have to come up with a plan so I’m acting early, in case I have to think more about it and set it up.”

Sicheng nods understandingly. “I see,” he clicks his tongue. “You know, justa. word of advice. Don’t rush yourself.”

“Why not?” Jeno asks, almost through with his log.

“I mean, of course it all depends on what angelic rank you’re after once you get your wings,” Sicheng says. “But say, you’re aiming to be a seraphim—“

Jeno laughs. “That’s a big dream.”

“—someday, or just as an angel who stays in Guleum, then you should at least enjoy your time here in Cheonguk, don’t you think?”

Jeno finishes his log and Sicheng puts it back to its original place. “Is that why you’re here?”

“Me? Yeah,” Sicheng grins. “Guleum is golden and all but you know, it’s still different here in the human world. Although, I’m only staying here from January to June. I get the latter half free and the other archangel takes over.”

“Hmm… I never really thought much about which rank I’ll take,” Jeno ponders.

“Then don’t think about it too much yet,” Sicheng beams. “Just enjoy for now, I promise. It’s the only time you’ll be in the human world so at least make the most of it. They’ll all forget about it, anyway.”

Jeno chuckles. “We’ll see.”

It turns out he shares more classes with Renjun than he originally thought. Jeno already sees how that can come in handy with his situation.

After their drafting laboratory class ends, he quickly takes out his flask with the memory mist and catches up to a retreating Renjun.

“Jeno, right?” Renjun asks as he acknowledges Jeno’s presence. He smiles at him warmly. “Can I help you?”

Jeno presents a sheepish grin. “Uh… yeah… I’m new and I just noticed that we almost seem to have the same schedules? By chance, can you help me go to the classrooms? Only with the classes we’re together, of course.”

Renjun doesn’t even hesitate as he nods. “Of course. I understand that the campus can be big, so don’t worry. Let me get my schedule, hold on,” he rummages inside his back pack before pulling out a yearly planner. He flips it to the second page where Renjun’s schedule is flashed. Jeno nods as he pulls his own, duly focusing on Renjun’s.

“Wow,” Renjun remarks as he checks Jeno’s schedule. “The only classes we don’t share are Math and your general electives. I’m surprised they granted you one, it’s kind of hard to get those here.”

“Really? I must be really lucky then,” Jeno grins, but it’s about another thing altogether. “Look, we have the same next class.”

Renjun nods, putting his planner back. “Let’s go?”

They engage in small conversations as they make their way to the next class, mostly Renjun asking about Jeno. Jeno sticks to the character script as he makes up random stories of how he got there. When they reach their classroom, Renjun bids him goodbye as he sits towards where his friends are, and Jeno takes a vacant seat in the back rows.

After the class, Renjun waited for him by the door of the classroom to go to their last class together. Jeno thanks him and tells him that he doesn’t have to do such for him in the following days, and Renjun tells him he doesn’t mind at all. They resort to small talk again, and Jeno feels accomplished now that he’s on speaking terms with Renjun. The rest of the mission would be easy.

Once he gets back to the boarding house, he quickly finds a mirror and channels the memory he recorded with the mist a while ago. His brief interaction with Renjun flashes on where his reflection is supposed to be, and he pauses it on the part where Renjun showed his schedule. Conveniently for Jeno, Renjun is the type of person who likes to note down everything like the organizations he’s in, the clubs he’s participating in and the events he’s coordinating. Jeno duly copied everything, feeling extremely satisfied with his progress today. After that, he starts to work on his plates.

Sometime after dinner, he receives a notification from the social media accounts he made. Renjun added and followed him everywhere. Jeno accepts everything with a triumphant grin on his face, thinking about the fact that he’ll be getting his wings very soon.

It doesn’t even take more than a week for Jeno to get settled into the course. Keeping Renjun’s schedule in mind, he approaches one of Renjun’s friends the next day, one that he knows is in the same course as them.

“You want to join the organization?” Renjun’s friend—Yangyang, as he introduced himself earlier—asks. 

Jeno nods. “Although, if you’re not accepting temporary transfers, I’ll understand.”

Yangyang quickly shakes his head. “That’s no problem at all’ We have honorary members and the like. Also, I’m pretty sure Hwanwoong hyung—he’s our president—would definitely want some extra hands right now.”

“Really?” Jeno keeps the conversation going even though he already succeeded in this step of his plan. “Why so?”

“Oh you know, the Intercollegiate Event is coming,” Yangyang shrugs. “You’re pretty lucky you transferred during the most exciting time of the year. Basically, our organization represents the entire department, so all architecture representatives come from us. Therefore, we become really busy.”

“Hey, what are you two talking about?” Renjun suddenly asks, coming up from behind Yangyang.

“Jeno—that’s your name, right?—wants to join our organization. You don’t think Hwanwoong hyung will, won’t you? We do need more people right now,” Yangyang explains. Jeno smiles warmly at Renjun, trying to put up an innocent front.

Renjun seems to buy it. “Yeah, that’s fine. Let’s head to the clubroom after our last class so we can ask hyung directly.”

It turns out that not only did this Hwanwoong guy not mind Jeno’s sudden eagerness to join the organization; he also wants Jeno to be their representative and participate in at least any of the events.

“I certainly think you’re pageant material,” Hwanwoong tells him when he arrives at the club room. “Or maybe any of the sports? Or if you’re pretty confident with academics, you can participate in the quiz bees and those logic obstacle courses.”

Jeno doesn’t really know much about any of those, but he still nods. Renjun is in this organization, so this will be a great opportunity to formulate a plan and carry out his mission.

“We’ll just have to see, won’t we?” Yangyang says, coming to his aid before Hwanwoong can assign him to an activity he doesn’t know about. “Can I borrow him for a bit? The basketball court is free and Dejun wants to play around there. I want to see how Jeno plays.”

“Uh,” Jeno begins. “I don’t really play—”

But Yangyang is already dragging him outside of the clubroom and to an open field where there’s a makeshift basketball court. There are already a few people waiting there, and Jeno recognizes them to be some of the people in his architecture majors.

Yangyang and one other guy (“His name’s Dejun,” Yangyang tells Jeno.) then start explaining the rules to Jeno when he tells them that he doesn’t have a firm grasp on how the game works yet. Back in Guleum, Jeno did play several team sports but in one way or another, one equipment is almost always floating. Basketball requires everybody to play on foot, and even the ball itself doesn’t fly around on its own.

Jeno still did his best to play. It doesn’t take him long to get the hang of it, and soon enough, everybody is commending him.

Dejun gapes at him after a fist bump. “Are you sure that’s your first time playing?”

Jeno nods. “I guess I can use more practice…”

“You were brilliant!” Yangyang beams. “Come on, let’s play another round.”

After that, Jeno is easily accepted into the group. When they come back to the clubroom, Yangyang starts to boast about Jeno’s skills and even Renjun joins in praising him.

With that, Jeno immediately eased into his cover as an architecture student. Renjun, Yangyang and more people start getting acquainted with him. They sit near each other during classes, hang out in the club room, and just talk casually in general.

“Well,” Sicheng tells him one day Jeno comes home from grabbing dinner with organization members. “You seem to be making a lot of progress.”

Jeno grins as he hands him the milk tea he got for him. “Definitely. Can I stock up on three bottles of memory mist and two bottles of invisibility mist?”

Sicheng nods, grabbing the record log. “You’re really going all out.”

Now that Jeno’s all settled, all he needs left is a plan to carry out his mission once and for all.

  
  


“Sports Fest is coming up soon…” Yangyang tells him as Jeno passes the paintbrushes around. “Are you sure you don’t want to participate in any of them? Basketball, in particular?”

Jeno smiles. The thought of playing basketball does interest him, but he still has to figure out if he’ll still be there that time. He doesn’t want Yangyang’s team to be a person short if ever he finishes his mission early. “I’m still trying to grasp how this university works. I’ll cheer you on, though.”

Yangyang pouts but doesn’t push him any further. “Okay. But you have to come, no matter what! Even if you’re just by the audience!”

“I will, I will…” Jeno promises, already thinking about ways on how to view a human match from Guleum.

After a while, Yangyang goes to where Renjun is seated, just a short distance away from where Jeno is painting a separate banner. He comes up with some sort of excuse that involves wanting to polish the chapped corners just so he can adjust his position and be within Renjun and Yangyang’s earshot.

“...about what he said?” Jeno hears Yangyang whisper as he dips his brush in paint.

“Yeah,” Renjun sounds unsure. “The letter’s in my bag.”

He hears Yangyang let out a low whistle. “Just like in high school, huh? He must really be serious this time around. But… do you still have feelings for him?”

Jeno is now trying to be subtle as he eavesdrop.

Renjun sighs heavily. “I don’t think I ever really got over him. Sure, we remained friends after the breakup—”

Jeno almost drops his paintbrush at the revelation.

“—but you know, you can’t just… get over something like that so quick,” Renjun pauses. “I don’t know how he did it.”

There’s so much ache in the way Renjun whispered it that it reaches not only Jeno’s ears but also his heart, tugging guiltily at his heartstrings. He somehow feels pity for the other guy.

“Well,” Yangyang says, and Jeno can sense the effort to sound hopeful. “He did send you a letter, huh? Maybe he never really got over you too… or maybe he misses you… either way, he wants you guys to meet up this Saturday! How can anything about that go wrong? Well… unless the letter wasn’t exactly ending in a positive note.”

There’s a few moments of silence before Renjun speaks again. “It’s… fairly positive. I’ll show you the letter after we finish this banner.”

Jeno finishes up his own task before going to the clubroom lobby where his bag is located. Making sure no one is looking, he pulls out a bottle of mist and pours it to his flask. He pockets the object before he returns to the working area.

Yangyang and Renjun are almost through with the banner they’re painting. Jeno pretends to observe a few people as he waits for them to get up. When the two make a move to go to Renjun’s stuff, Jeno quietly follows from behind. Renjun rummages through his bag and pulls out an envelope; at least, that’s what it looks like to Jeno who’s been trying to be subtle by a nearby pillar.

“Where’d you find it?” Yangyang asks.

“My dorm manager handed it to me,” Renjun replies.

“Huh,” Yangyang muses. “So if you’ll reply, will you send it to his dorm manager too?”

“Most likely,” Renjun sighs. “Man, I’m really doing this, huh?”

There’s a hopeful chuckle that follows Renjun’s statement, coming from him as well. Jeno quickly fishes for his flask before guilty thoughts can pervade in his mind. Jeno waits for the moment Yangyang raises the letter to a position where Jeno can see it before drinking the memory mist.

Jeno doesn’t even waste too much time in doing so. The instant the letter comes to view, he doesn’t even try to read it. He makes sure to properly stare at the paper for a good three seconds before he carefully goes back to the workspace.

There’s another satisfied smile on his face, but there’s something else laced to it this time around. It forms knots in Jeno’s stomach, and it doesn’t help that they’re the uncomfortable kind. Before he can feel guilt take over him, he asks around for anything else he can paint and distracts himself.

Jeno forces himself not to look at Renjun when he and Yangyang return to the painting area. He doesn’t want to get a glimpse of Renjun’s hopeful expression, something Jeno will eventually have to take away.

  
  


> _Renjun,_
> 
> _You must be surprised about this sudden letter. Kind of reminds you back in high school when we used to always exchange handwritten letters, right? Well, that’s what I was aiming for._
> 
> _Before what happened between us, you were one of my greatest friends. It’s a bit sad that we lost that bond as well, huh?_
> 
> _Sometime last week, we talked again during Jisung’s advanced birthday party. We were the only ones who stayed sober so we can watch over the rest of them. That’s a pretty important point—that we were sober. Because we talked about a lot of things. We talked about what happened between us, what happened after us, what we felt, and what we still feel. It’s been so long since we talked about it and now that we let it out there in the open, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it._
> 
> _Perhaps we can talk again? Where it’s just the two of us, just like before? Meet me at the Math Park back at Cheonguk Science High School, where we spent talking about love and life and other stuff throughout the entirety of high school. 8:00 PM, this Saturday._
> 
> _Why am I doing this? I guess I just kind of miss you._
> 
> _Let me know if we’re on the same page. You can send me back a letter, just like before._
> 
> _Once yours,_
> 
> _Donghyuck._

Jeno leans back on his chair as soon as he finishes reading Donghyuck’s letter. His mission involves both Renjun and Donghyuck, but throughout the entire time, he’s been with Renjun only. He doesn’t really know what’s going on in Donghyuck’s head nor does he know what Donghyuck’s true intentions are.

What he can do now is manipulate the situation through Renjun.

Just as soon as the idea comes to him, sleep instantly takes over.

  
  


“You want to borrow my notes in Architectural Communication?” Renjun asks him. “Didn’t we just have our quiz?”

Jeno nods. “Yeah, and I don’t think I did that well even though he provided handouts. It’s because Sir Lim is discussing stuff that aren’t included in the slides and I didn’t manage to write them down.”

“Ahhh…” Renjun says, already opening his backpack to get his binder. “Sure, you can borrow mine. I’ll give you my notes from the most recent lesson. Just make sure to return it before midterms… which isn’t until next month so you’re good.”

Jeno smiles, helping him out with the bag. “Thank you.”

That day, Jeno declines Yangyang’s offer to shoot a few hoops and heads straight to the boarding house. He confirms with dinner night tomorrow with Sicheng before he rushes upstairs to his room.

One thing Jeno prides with himself is that he’s a diligent student. He very much aced Sir Lim’s test. Hell, his notes are even more complete than Renjun’s.

What he really needed was Renjun’s handwriting.

If he’s going to write a letter to Donghyuck and pretend that it’s from Renjun, then Jeno needs to start practicing as early as possible. A simple capture from a five minute dosage of memory mist isn’t enough—he’s going to have to practice and practice and then try to rewrite all of Renjun’s notes verbatim, and once he’s sure it can pass an exact replica, then that’s when he knows that his plan would succeed.

  
  


After a few more observations, Jeno finally knows which dormitory is staying at. Apparently, it’s the same dormitory where Dejun is staying. He overhears this during one of Yangyang and Renjun’s conversation in the clubroom.

“I’m just going to directly give it to the dorm manager,” Renjun whispers to Yangyang that time. “Dejun still… doesn’t know that Donghyuck and I used to be a thing. I don’t really want anyone asking.”

Jeno shifts a little bit in his position to eavesdrop better.

He hears Yangyang hum in contemplation. “When are you going to send it?”

“Tomorrow,” Renjun breathes out. “I mean, he wants to meet up this weekend. I need to deliver my letter right away.”

There’s a moment of silence, and then, “I still don’t understand why you guys can’t just text each other. I mean, I get that the letter thing is sentimental to both of you, but wouldn’t you want it to be easier this time around.”

Jeno has thought of that too. Humans are pretty advanced with the way they communicate. However, every time he thinks of that, he sees Renjun’s expression in his mind, the one that has hope written in every inch, the one that looks like his head is above the clouds.

Renjun is still holding on to whatever past he and Donghyuck had, and he’s hoping to get it back. At least, that’s what Jeno thinks.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Renjun mutters. After that, Yangyang didn’t speak more about the topic.

Jeno returns the notes he borrowed from Renjun later that day, catching a glimpse of the letter Renjun’s about to drop off when the guy opens his binder. That way, he’ll know which one to intercept when he goes to the dormitory.

“Do you guys want to grab some fish cakes?” Jeno asks a few of the members once they leave the clubroom, pretending to not know about Renjun's plan.

As expected, Renjun shakes his head. Yangyang does the same.

They get separated as Jeno and the rest head to one of the fish cake stalls near the clubroom. Once they get there, Jeno strikes up a conversation with Dejun. He keeps some steady topics floating and then very carefully nudges the conversation to basketball.

“That seems so cool,” Jeno reacts to one of Dejun’s stories about his basketball experience. “I wish I could play as good as you.”

“Hey, you’re already doing great!” Dejun tells him, his eyes twinkling. Jeno feels genuinely flattered, a warm, pleasant feeling spreading across his chest. “Although, if you really want to boost your morale, you can always practice anytime. Not only does it improve your skill, but also your confidence with yourself.”

Jeno smiles, grabbing a paper cup filled with fish cakes. “That sounds nice, but I don’t have anything to practice with.”

Dejun’s face lights up. “I have an extra basketball back in my dorm. If you want, you can come with me later and I’ll get it for you so you can use it.”

Everything is going extremely well that Jeno is unable to stop himself from smiling so widely. “I’d like that.”

“Wait here,” Dejun tells him once they reach the visitor’s lounge of the dormitory. “I’ll just go grab it in my room real quick.”

“Take your time,”Jeno replies, scanning the room. “Is there a nearby bathroom here?”

“Over there, beside the bamboo display.”

“Thanks.”

As Dejun goes to his room, Jeno grabs his flask and a bottle of invisibility mist. He double checks the paper in his pocket before he heads to the bathroom.

Once he’s inside, he takes out the paper which contains the forged letter he wrote pretending to be Renjun, and reads it one more time.

> _Donghyuck,_
> 
> _I do remember that night at Jisung’s. It’s been a while, I guess. I don’t really go around telling people here that we were together during high school, and I supposed you didn’t do that as well too. There are times where I think I momentarily forget about it, but who am I kidding? It’s not something I can easily forget._
> 
> _And there lay the problem._
> 
> _We ended for a reason, Hyuck. And one nostalgic thought that’s clearly caused by our emotions, no matter how sober we were, isn’t supposed to break all the progress we made throughout this process of moving forward._
> 
> _I love you, I really do. A part of me will always love you, even thought it may not be the same way as before. But what’s done is done._
> 
> _If we want to move on and be better, we have to make an effort in doing so. Growth isn’t linear, anyway. We’re allowed to have relapses._
> 
> _I appreciate this a lot, and I’m deeply touched. Especially with how you went out of your way to make this very memorable. But I guess that alone should be telling enough. We’re holding on to the memories of the past, something we can’t bring back. We have grown one way or another, Donghyuck. We’re not the same people that we were years ago. I think we’re holding on to what we had back then than to each other._
> 
> _We’ll be okay, Donghyuck. You don’t have to go to our high school. Let go of me and move forward. I’ll do the same._
> 
> _No longer yours,_
> 
> _Renjun_

He folds it neatly before getting his flask and the bottle of invisibility mist. It’s not like he’s going to entirely vanish from sight—he’ll simply be invisible to humans. If there’s any nearby angel, they’ll still be able to see him, just like how Jeno can still see them occasionally even when humans don’t.

 _Five minute dosage,_ Sicheng told him when he asked for a bottle.

Jeno quickly drinks the mist and makes his way outside. Humans are unable to see him and there are also no angels lurking around so nobody is really paying attention to Jeno at the moment. He scans the room for any sign of Dejun before proceeding to the lobby.

He quietly walks beside the lady on the lobby counter who’s preoccupied with some sort of watermelon game on her phone. Behind her, there’s an entire shelf on the wall that has one cubicle for each dorm resident. Jeno even spots Dejun’s cubicle housing what seems to be a textbook transcript. Not a little further from that, Jeno spots Donghyuck’s cubicle. There’s a package of syringes and test tubes in his cubicle as well as a neatly folded bond paper that Jeno immediately identifies as Renjun’s letter. He quickly swaps it with the one he wrote and hastily makes his way back to the bathroom, relieved that it’s unoccupied.

Once he’s sure five minutes have passed, he steps out of the bathroom just in time to see Dejun emerging from the stairs with a basketball in his hand.

“There you go,” Dejun says as he gives the ball to Jeno. “Take care on your way home. You got everything you need now, right?”

Jeno is suddenly aware of the letter he just intercepted resting comfortably in his pocket. He smiles and nods at Dejun gratefully. “I do.”

“I saw an archangel on my way back here,” Jungmo tells the dining table as they enjoy the pizza he bought for them. “She’s sprinkling some glittery stuff on humans.”

Another angel boarder who arrived just three days ago, Heejin, takes a slice. “What kind of glittery stuff?”

“Probably dream dusts,” Sicheng says as he helps himself with a slice. “Principalities arranged the supposed horoscope today and included something about Virgos getting good dreams.”

“Oh…” Jungmo trails. “For a while, I thought they’re memory modifiers.”

Sicheng raises an eyebrow. “What for?”

Jungmo shrugs. “To make humans forget about undercover angels who completed their missions.”

“We don’t need memory modifiers for that,” Sicheng explains. “Once an angel goes back to their realm, he will be erased in every single human memory.”

Heejin blinks. “So when you come back to Guleum this July, will the people forget you?”

“I sure hope they do,” Sicheng laughs. “I don’t want them noticing my absence.”

“Is there a way for a human to not forget about you?” Heejin asks again.

Sicheng frowns. “Didn’t they teach you this in the Academy?”

“I don’t think they dwelled too much on it,” Jungmo muses.

Sicheng shrugs. “There _is_ one way. When an angel kisses a human, that human won’t be able to forget that angel. Doesn’t even have to be on the lips. Just a peck on the cheek will do.”

“Really? Why?”

“It’s kind of like… angelic trace. It’s like leaving a part of you behind. That’s why the human will be able to remember you if you kiss them.”

Heejin gapes at him. “Has that ever happened?”

“Oh, tons,” Sicheng laughs. “And _that’s_ when memory modifiers come. There are a few humans who are assumed to have lost their minds because of angel talk so you know, the archangels just do them a favor and remove the angelic trace. It’s not really a big deal.”

Throughout the entire conversation, Jeno is silent. Today is the weekend, which means that today is when Donghyuck and Renjun are supposed to meet and talk. A sense of responsibility has been hovering above him ever since he swapped the letters. It doesn’t help that they’re talking about how much control angels have over fate.

For some reason, it makes Jeno feel sick.

“You okay?” Sicheng asks him once the topic is averted to Heejin’s apparent crush on a fellow boarder.

Jeno sighs. “I feel like I’m going to get my wings soon.”

“Oh! Isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yeah, but I’m not sure if my plan worked…” Jeno trails. In a quick instant, he gets up. “Listen, hyung, can I leave for a while? I just have to make sure that everything went according to plan.”

Sicheng squints. “What was your plan?”

Jeno bites his lip, but he figures Sicheng will eventually know about it once he writes Jeno’s progress report. “Well, Donghyuck and Renjun are supposed to meet tonight. I kind of intercepted the letters so Donghyuck would think that Renjun doesn’t want to meet him. I just want to make sure that they really didn’t meet…”

His own words feel heavy. Sicheng, however, nods understandingly. “Okay. Do you need a bottle of invisibility mist? I can give you one with an hour dosage.”

Jeno shakes his head. “I don't think I'll be seen.”

“Very well,” Sicheng nods, patting his shoulder. “Congratulations in advance!”

Jeno doesn’t feel any bit triumphant.

It takes a while before Jeno reaches Cheonguk Science High School. He got lost a couple of times before finally ending up in his destination. Because it’s already eight in the evening, there aren’t a lot of people in the school. Most lights are out as well.

Jeno walks a little bit further, hoping to find the park that Donghyuck was talking about in the letter. Up until this point, his emotions have been very confusing. He wants nothing more than his wings to arrive so he can go back to Guleum, but at the same time, he doesn’t feel good about breaking someone’s heart. A small part of him is half hoping that even though Donghyuck surely won’t show up, Renjun won’t show up too just to spare himself the pain.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Jeno stops in his tracks and hides behind a tree as he sees a lone figure by a park with several empty cement tables and chairs. Renjun is pretty much impossible to miss. He’s wearing a large yellow coat and is looking around wildly and Jeno’s heart drops at the transparent desperation on Renjun’s face.

It’s the perfect plan, honestly. Jeno doesn’t have to go here in the school to make sure of it. However, Jeno can’t help himself. Renjun has been nothing but nice to him ever since he came down to Cheonguk. Jeno is fully aware that fate cannot be altered, and that he’s just doing what he’s meant to do, but it still doesn’t make it feel entirely okay.

Especially with the way Renjun looks right now.

Jeno doesn't know how many more minutes pass by. All he knows is that he’s rooted in his spot, waiting for Renjun.

“Go home,” Jeno whispers even though Renjun won’t hear him. “He won’t come.”

But Renjun stays there. Jeno thinks an hour has passed already ever since he arrived, and it doesn’t console him. Renjun is still there, looking a lot more desperate than before. He’s now pacing around the park, searching wildly for Donghyuck. Occasionally, Jeno sees Renjun pulling out his phone and furiously typing on his keyboard. He assumes that Renjun has finally resorted to modern communication, ditching whatever past fantasy he’s holding onto just so Donghyuck will show up. Although, from the frustrated reactions Renjun is expressing, Jeno thinks Donghyuck must not be replying.

Jeno purses his lips before digging his hands into his pocket to get something.

Renjun's original letter.

Jeno has never read it. He does carry it around just so no one picks it up accidentally.

 _He must have really loved him,_ Jeno thinks to himself as he glances back at Renjun who's still not giving up on waiting.

Finally, curiosity gets the better of Jeno and he proceeds to read the letter.

> _Donghyuck,_
> 
> _That night at Jisung’s, we were looking at the night sky. It was filled with stars. I remember that very well. If you count all the stars in the sky during that time, I’ll have you know that it’s the same count with all the times I spent thinking of you._
> 
> _I mean, really, who could ever forget about you?_
> 
> _I’m fine, I really am. But that doesn’t mean I really got over you. Sometimes, I see you in the back of my notebook, doodling random things just because you don’t want to listen to the teacher. I see you in the fruit stands taking my own cup away from me and filling it with more fruit than I can eat and then you’ll tell me that you want me ti be healthy. I see you in the bulletin I pass by every time I enter the university, with all those admission notices reminding me of the time we planned to pass and get into this hell of a school together. We really planned out our future, huh?_
> 
> _And as always, I see you in the stars. And I’ll meet you there, Donghyuck. Because the truth is, I kinda miss you too. And the fact that I’m right here, sending out a handwritten letter just like before, is enough of a testament to how much I still treasure you._
> 
> _I’ll see you on Saturday. Take care._
> 
> _Still yours,_
> 
> _Renjun_

Jeno's heart feels heavy.

 _A lot,_ he thinks to himself again. _Renjun has loved—loves Donghyuck a lot._

And then after a few moments, Jeno hears it.

A sob.

Just like that, Renjun crumbles on the ground, head in his hands as he cries.

Guilt has never hit Jeno so hard until today. The sight of Renjun (who Jeno got accustomed to seeing him smiling) letting himself break piece by piece under the ruthless darkness of the night. Jeno gets the sudden urge to go over there and comfort the guy, but he knows he can’t. He can’t blow up his entire mission just for a quick surge of overwhelming emotions.

Still, it was painful. Renjun’s cries echoed into the night and Jeno is sure that the memories of the sound will not leave him alone. Jeno waits for a few moments before the crying subsides, and then Renjun gets up from the floor, dusting himself and looking defeated. He looks unwilling to go.

Jeno takes that as his cue to leave. He checks his own phone. He sees a few direct messages from Dejun, asking him about the basketball practices, and also a few concerned messages from Sicheng. He hears shuffling from behind him so he hastily walks away as fast as he can, not wanting Renjun to spot him.

As Jeno makes his way back to the boarding house, the memory of Renjun’s heartbroken state doesn’t leave him alone. He carries it with him even when he arrives and Sicheng asks him how the mission went. Jeno felt a lot more horrible when he said that it went well.

Still, as Jeno finally resigns to his bed, he suddenly feels all the exhaustion take their toll on his body. He reassures himself that one way or another, with or without him, what happened with Renjun is inevitable. He just happened to be the orchestrator. But really, it can be any angel.

That thought consoles him for a little bit. What allows Jeno to finally rest is the anticipation of his wings coming soon, even though the picture of a crying boy who did nothing but fall in love still remains at the back of his head.

When Jeno wakes up, he still doesn’t feel anything beneath him. He double checks his reflection in the mirror just to be sure, but he still looks the same just like yesterday.

No wings.

He’s a bit surprised that Sicheng isn’t concerned about it when Jeno descends downstairs, obviously wingless. He doesn’t know where he went wrong—he did his mission. Renjun and Donghyuck will not end up together. Why can’t he leave yet?

“Good morning,” Sicheng chirps from the kitchen. “Coffee?”

Jeno is unable to stop himself, “Hyung,” he whispers. “Why don’t I still have wings? Did I make a mistake?”

Sicheng offers him a reassuring smile. “I’m sure you didn’t. They don’t give out missions where you’ll fail. Trust me, it isn’t you. Coffee?”

“But,” Jeno gestures towards his spine. “They’re still not here. Do they really take a while?”

“They’ll come when they have to,” Sicheng is now gesturing towards the coffee maker. “Now, coffee?”

Jeno nods, but his mind is still restless. Sicheng must’ve sensed this because he pats Jeno’s head as he pours some coffee in his mug.

“What’s your mission again?” Sicheng asks.

“Make sure that Renjun and Donghyuck won’t end up together,” Jeno mumbles. “I did everything I could! Well, at least on Renjun’s side… do you think I should’ve worked with both of them to accomplish it?”

Sicheng shakes his head. “Not really. You know, in most cases like this, the problem isn’t really with the angels.”

Jeno rolls his eyes. “So what? Renjun is to blame—“

“Yes.”

“—because… wait what?!”

Sicheng laughs. “Sometimes, there are humans who can be _quite_ stubborn. But they’ll always come around. You said your mission is about Renjun and Donghyuck not ending up together, right? Well, I think this Renjun guy still hasn’t given up on this Donghyuck and that’s why you’re still here.”

That doesn’t reassure Jeno.

“Oh come on,” Sicheng says. “He’ll give up soon. I swear, no matter how much anyone tries to interfere, if it’s not according to fate’s plan, then it won’t happen.”

Jeno purses his lips.

Sicheng takes the seat beside him. “Look at this on the brighter side. Well, sort of. While Renjun is out there tiring himself out for something that’s out of his control, you should enjoy yourself with some nice human world experience before you gain your wings.”

Jeno sighs and nods. It’s not like he can do anything, anyway. His mission is done. He’s pretty sure that Donghyuck wouldn’t want to get together with Renjun after everything that happened.

Maybe he _will_ enjoy himself in the meantime.

“So,” Sicheng begins again. “Any plans in mind already?”

Yangyang wraps him in a bone crushing hug. “You’re not joking, right?! You’ll play basketball for our organization!”

Jeno laughs as he pats the other guy’s back. “Yeah. I figured I should at least make the most out of my stay here. I wouldn’t be able to do much of that if I’m just by the bleachers.”

Yangyang lets him go and then hops around his place. “That’s the spirit! Oh, we are _so_ going to win!”

The mirth of the moment immediately dissipates as soon as Jeno catches a glimpse of Renjun. At least, to Jeno. Yangyang is still jumping around, boasting about the fact that they’ll secure the intercollegiate basketball championship this year. Jeno can see Renjun smiling a little bit at his friend, but there’s also a hint of sadness in his expression.

Jeno’s heart drops. He knows he’s the cause of that.

He quickly looks away before the guilt takes over again.

  
  


Jeno hasn’t been interacting with Renjun a lot ever since the incident, but he thinks it’s for the best. Even Yangyang looks a little bit confused, but from the looks of it, he doesn’t question it. Jeno then assumes that maybe Renjun has just closed himself off from everyone for a short while, at least until he becomes okay again.

At least Jeno has something to distract him. He’s actually getting the hang of architecture now. Guleum doesn’t really make use of geometry and physics foundations because for some reason, everything just seems to work. They even have floating houses and classrooms, something the lessons he’s learning right now wouldn’t be able to explain.

And then there’s basketball. Now that he’s been officially added to the team, he spends most of his free time practicing. There are even times where people from different colleges and organizations invite their team to play for fun, making Jeno’s circle of acquaintances wider.

All in all, Jeno comfortably found a new routine to busy himself with while he’s waiting for his wings.

Well, not entirely _comfortably._

Every time he sees Renjun in class, Jeno is reminded of his fragile state back at the park at Cheonguk Science High School. Although, Renjun seems to be doing better at hiding his emotions as days pass by. Jeno feels pity for the guy, and every time guilt threatens to cloud his feelings once again, he reminds himself that it isn’t his fault. It’s all because of fate. Renjun will be okay in the long run. He’ll find the right non-Donghyuck guy for him and Jeno will gain his wings. It’s a win-win at this point.

A little over a week after the park breakdown, that’s when Jeno encounters his potential downfall.

A few engineering students invited them to play a few rounds of basketball. Jeno is steadily becoming known to more people, and sometimes he’ll think about how all of them will probably forget him once he goes back to Guleum, but he always quickly pushes that thought away.

“Nice layup,” Yunseong, an engineering student, tells him after the game. Jeno’s team won, but it was a tough game that they only won with a four point lead.

“Thanks,” Jeno smiles. 

Yunseong then goes to his teammates and as Jeno is about to turn, he sees a few angels hovering nearby. It still feels weird to be able to see them working, but their presence somehow comforts him that he’s not alone. 

One of the angels spots Jeno looking at them. At first, they seem alarmed that a human can see them, but Jeno purposely blinks to show them the determining asset of an angel—bright, glimmering and golden eyes—to let them know. He purposely blinks again so that his brown irises return. The angel seems to have caught on because after that, they smile and wave at Jeno, even nudging at their companion to do the same.

“Jen!” He hears Yangyang call. He sends a brief nod towards the angels and makes his way to where his team is.

“What’s up?” Jeno asks them.

Yangyang smiles. “Well, I know we’re friends with Yunseong and all, but there’s still a chance that we might be up against them this coming Sports Fest. That Wonjin guy in their team is pretty strong. I’m sure they’re also taking note of how we play, so we better train harder.”

Jeno nods along with the rest of the team.

“By the way,” Dejun adds. “Yunseong invited us to the party he and a few people from his regional organization are hosting. He said we can bring anyone.”

“When?”

“Next week Saturday, I believe.”

“Ah, shit,” Yangyang curses. “I won’t be there. I have a prior appointment with my parents.”

“That’s too bad,” Dejun says. “Yunseong’s parties are always great,” he then turns to Jeno. “You’re coming, right?”

Jeno nods. “Sure,” _that is, if he’s still there by that time._

“Great!”

After that, Jeno heads to the bathroom first to change. He refreshes himself and changes his clothes before stepping outside. 

However, before he can return to where the rest of the team is, he feels a hand suddenly grab his arm and drag him forcefully. Jeno is caught off guard that he almost stumbles as the figure keeps dragging him to one of the stone benches outside the gym.

“Ow,” he winces, preparing himself to glare at whoever decides to joke around and think dragging him is fun.

However, his glare instantly disappears as soon as he registers the person in front of him.

Jeno is pretty sure that if looks could kill, he’d be dead by now with the way Renjun is staring at him. It’s the look of someone that has just figured out something, and Jeno doesn’t like it. To make matters worse, Renjun says something that almost kicks Jeno’s soul out of his body.

“What the hell are you really, Lee Jeno?”


End file.
